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Comic Book Horndog Discussion

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Dragonmaw

Topic

04:23:43 AM Jan 24th 2013

Is there any proof of imitators (singular or plural)? I don't think that such subjective/potentially false information should be included in the article without a clear source. I know that Isaac Baranoff recently got into a spat with another internet artist and accused them of being an "imitator," potentially to drum up views to his site and comic, but that's unrelated to tropes and not worthy of being reported on here.

TheFullMonty

09:32:02 AM Nov 18th 2013

Baranoff's reasoning for Agouti Rex ripping him off were as follows:

1. "Murry, Purry, Fresh and Furry" has the same joke timing and humor structure, and
2. Both comics use a 1920s-inspired cartoon style.

The spat did not begin because Baranoff wanted to "drum up sales". That's a ridiculous accusation. "Horndog" is one of the best selling underground comics right now. Whenever I've seen Baranoff on college campuses, he only has a few issues left if he hadn't sold them already.

Horndog has its problems, and there's certainly such a thing as subjective criticism, but this is just plain Hate Dumb at work, and the editor theerstwhile clearly does not understand TV Tropes.

1. Author Appeal means material of a sexual appeal to the author, not things that the author is generally interested in. Being a fan of Insane Clown Posse does not mean that you have a sexual interest involving that music.
2. Making insinuations about the author's private life does not equal subjective criticism, it's trolling.
3. There's a bit where a line from the comic is quoted as a criticism, as if it were supposed to be a meta-reference to Horndog itself, when the dialog is about an autobiographical comic created by the character within the comic. Horndog isn't an autobiographical-styled comic, it's a fantasy comic with science fiction and horror elements.
4. There are several critiques of the author's art style which are overtly opinionated. That's not what TV Tropes articles are for.
5. The reference to fetish content in the comic are false, this is a comedy fantasy, not an erotic or pornographic work, and there's clearly no intention for the comic to aim at arousing its audience.
6. Theerstwhile claims misogyny in the comic's content, yet it actually portrays women as generally intelligent, often of intellectual superiority to men, and in positive roles like doctors and teachers.
7. Aside from the other direct attacks, pointing out that the author is an ICP fan in response to his criticism of Otep has absolutely nothing to do with why he made fun of the band, and regardless of what you think, saying that an ICP fan dislikes something does not make that music appealing. (In this case, Otep is a Nu Metal band, which seems fair that it would be criticised by the character in this comic, considering that the comic's character is a punk and hip hop fan, something that theerstwhile deleted in the "Creator Thumbprint" trope).
8. I have had several conversations with the author via e-mail, and while he is difficult, he is not egotistical, and actually does take constructive criticism at heart.
9. theerstwhile added another attack to criticize the author's politics and then misses the point of an early sequence of the character in the comic attaining medical marijuana despite nothing being wrong with him, which is clearly intended to be a joke.
10. Faygo is not "the official drink of Insane Clown Posse". perhaps that is why it is referenced in the comic, but the statement is just not true.
11. theerstwhile's math is actually incorrect, and the comic's math is correct. If a character is having sex with someone and their girlfriend walks in, "tried to coax her into a threesome" is correct. A three-way is not one person having sex with three other people.
12. Addition of You Fail Religious Studies Forever is blatant example of Completely Missing the Point. The so-called "voodoo" spells in the comic are actually lyrics from, at one point a Frank Zappa song, at another Insane Clown Posse's "Southwest Voodoo", and another, an Ol' Dirty Bastard song. The comic's portrayal of voodoo is clearly intended to be comedic and makes no attempt to have anything to do with actual voudou. It makes as much of an intent to accurately portray voudou as Catholicism is portrayed in a Leslie Nielsen spoof of The Exorcist.

Aside from all this, the comments about the quality of the art and lettering are VERY speculative and the claim about the lettering being illegible is clearly false. Constructive criticism is one thing, but attacking the lettering and art quality is not constructive! me and my roommate read Horndog every week, and we know it has its faults, but the art's not bad.

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